Lightweight open cell aluminum foam for superior mechanical and electromagnetic interference shielding properties

Abstract

In the present investigation, a simple and cost-effective method is described for preparing lightweight open cell aluminum foam by impregnating of aluminum powder into a substrate polyurethane foam template. Aluminum powder impregnated polyurethane foam was converted into open cell aluminum foam by several heat treatments inert as well reduce atmospheric pressure. The different concentrations of slurries of aluminum powder in acetone were used in combination with substrate foams to prepare open cell foams of relative density in the range of 0.08–0.22. The open cell aluminum foam prepared by this sacrificial template techniques is found to possess a compressive strength of 6.2 MPa. Electromagnetic interference shielding of aluminum foam was measured in X-band frequency region (8.2–12.4 GHz) using waveguide method. The electromagnetic interference shielding of aluminum foam with relative density of 0.22 is found −44.6 dB. This technique is fast, very economic and highly reproducible which may help the commercialization of such open cell aluminum foam for various applications.